Monseñor Romero

"Brothers, you came from our own people. You are killing your own brothers. Any human order to kill must be subordinate to the law of God, which says, 'Thou shalt not kill'. No soldier is obliged to obey an order contrary to the law of God. No one has to obey an immoral law. It is high time you obeyed your consciences rather than sinful orders. The church cannot remain silent before such an abomination. ... In the name of God, in the name of this suffering people whose cry rises to heaven more loudly each day, I implore you, I beg you, I order you: stop the repression."
– Monseñor Romero

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the death of Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez, the famous archbishop of El Salvador who was assassinated on March 24, 1980 while giving mass. The importance of Romero, why he is so revered in this country (where his image is literally painted on almost every wall) and around the world was what the man stood against and who he stood for. During the civil war that ravaged El Salvador Monseñor Romero witnessed many injustices and began to speak for the poor and for the victims of the war. As a result he was seen as an enemy by the government and was denounced by the Catholic Church. The founder of the ARENA party, Major Roberto D'Aubuisson, a US trained solider and member of the Salvadorian death squads, is believed to be the culprit in Monseñor Romero’s assassination.

Monseñor Romero was an orthodox Catholic priest who was appointed archbishop to quell the radical liberation theology that was being spread among priests, as hoped by the reigning government. During his administration as archbishop a fellow priest and friend, Rutilio Grande was assassinated. Romero sought the government for an investigation but the administration turned a blind eye. During this time he continued to see injustice unfold during the war years and choice to speak against it. His strength inspired many of the Salvadorian campesinos and others who found themselves victims of human injustice during the war. Through the death squads, bombings and murders of Catholic priests, Monseñor Romero continued to speak against the violence until his death.

Whether you are a Catholic or not, the writings of Monseñor Romero can be applied to all and speak of a humanitarian consciousness that we should all strive for. They are intelligently written and at the same time easily ingestible.

There are only two Catholic priests in my life that have inspired spiritually and intellectually: Father Tom of Our Lady of Talpa Church and Monseñor Romero.